Toy train tie



W. F. JONES TOY TRAIN TIE April 11, 1939.

Filed Oct. 31

lNVENTdR ATTORN EY Patented Apr. 1 1, 1939 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful toy train tie adapted for use in connection with toy trains of the type used by children whether such trains be of the spring or electrically impelled type.

Conventional toy trains consist of a locomotive and a number of cars to be attached, together with a track for the same, such track consisting of rail sections held together by cross ties, the outside rails serving to support the train while, in the case of electrically actuated trains, the third rail serves to supply the electrical energy. Toy trains of this character have necessitated the assembling of the track one level floor and in the absence of such-adequate space a special platform was constructed on which the rails were laid. Due to the impossibility of complete accuracy in the construction of the rails or their assembly on the platform, as well as the lack of proper level and uniformity of the platform itself, and also lack of give or resiliency, derailment of the trains while moving took place to the discouragement and annoyance of the child operating the trains. Furthermore, toy trains thus assembled and run are very noisy particularly when the track is assembled over a wooden platform.

Various attempts have heretofore been made to provide toy train track or supports therefor,

or even toy train ties adapted to support the assembled rails of a track, but all such attempts have been found to be defective or disadvantageous in one respect or another and that they were expensive to make, and could not be made to sufficiently accurate dimensions without undue expense, could not be adjustably banked for turns, could not be interchangeably used with mechanical trains having two rails or electric trains having three rails, or could not be used indiscriminately in connection with all standard toy train tracks as now found on the market, or did not provide the maximum desirable cushioning and sound-deadening characteristics, or had to be manufactured in segments of certain predetermined lengths or sizes to accommodate the segments of railroard tracks as they are at present manufactured or as they may be manufactured in the future.

It is the object of my invention to provide a toy train tie whereby a resilient, sound-deadening support can be built under the track to give an even, and cushioned support for the track regardless of the uniformity or lack of uniformity of the platform or other surface upon which the track is to be assembled.

Another important feature of my invention is that the tiesconstituting my invention can be used indiscriminately in connection with all existing conventional toy train tracks whether the same be electric or spring driven. .My invention also contemplates the provision of pieces to be used for adjustably banking the track at the points where a turn is made thus not only achieving the desired amount of bank but also compensating for different levels in dilferent sec tions. Furthermore, my invention has the advantage of arousing the increasing interest of the user in that it provides an avenue for the exercise of ingenuity and variety.

Another advantage of the ties embodying my invention is that when the track is assembled thereon the entire assembly provides a most realistic appearance closely simulating the appearance of ordinary railroad tracks.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a toy train tie embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same showing the metal rails in position.

Fig. 3 represents a bottom plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 represents a perspective View of a modified form of tie used for supporting the tracks at a point of intersection.

Fig. 5 represents a side elevation of the tie shown in Fig. 4 with the intersecting piece of track as supported, thereby.

Fig. 6 represents a perspective View of an adjustable wedge for banking the track at the turn.

Fig. 7 represents a view in side elevation showing the wedge shown in Fig. 6 in position under the tie shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 represents a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawing in which like reference characters indicate like parts, in Fig. 1 I have shown a tie embodying my invention and which consists of the body portion I having the thickened ends 2 in which are cut the horizontal recesses 3 which form overhanging lips or flanges 4. In the horizontal recesses 3 are engaged the outer flanges 5 of the outer rails 6 with the lips 4 45 forming abutments for the side walls of the rails as clearly shown in Fig. 2. 1 designates the center rail which is commonly used to supply electrical energy. As will be seen from Fig. 2, the wheel 8 of a toy train rests upon the rail 6 with 50 the inner flange 9 thereof depending towards but adequately spaced from the upper surface ll] of the body I of the tie. In this way there is no danger of derailment whatsoever.

Where the track is provided with a switch so 55 that the train may cross over from one set of rails to another, the track' is conventionally mounted upon a platform which flares in opposite directions concurrently with the divergence of the tracks mounted thereon and it is impossible to support it on any rubber supports heretofore known, unless one is to go to the excessive expense of fabricating a special support of that special shape. In order to provide an inexpensive and yet adequate support I use the device shown in Fig. 4 which consists of a block III of any suitable size made of some resilient material such as rubber the same as shown in Fig. 1, and the block II] is provided with a transverse slot II in which the pendent flange I2 of the platform I3 is engaged. The platform I3 it is to be understood is the platform which supports the intersecting tracksections.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a wedge composed of the tapering body portion. I4 and havingthe side walls I5 which is used for banking the track where desired, and, as will'be seen from Figs. 7 and 8, the wedge is inserted under the outer end of any of the ties I where desired and it is inserted as far as is necessary to produce the desired bank or inclination. It will also be seen from Fig. 8 that the side walls I5 of the Wedge l4 engage the vertical walls of the tie I to prevent displacement.

It will also be noted from all of the figures that the under surface of the tie I, block I 0 and wedge I4, areall serrated or roughened as at It to insure positive engagement with the support on which they are placed and to prevent sliding.

I preferably sell the devices embodying my invention in the form of a kit'having the necessary number of ties I, blocks I0 and Wedges I4, so that a child can assemble a support for the track in any desired manner and then by simply bending the tie l the outer flanges 5 of the rails are instantaneously snapped into ,position in the recesses 3. If there is a depression in the platform or other surface upon which the track is to be assembled, two wedges I4 can be positioned under the opposite ends of the tie I to the necessary extent to compensate for the depression. When the metallic platform, which permanently and rigidly carries the preassembled, intersecting track sections, is reached, instead of the ties I the child applies the block I0 in the manner shown in Fig. 5, and, again, if there is a depression in the surface, the wedges 6 can be used under the block III to support the same. When a .turn or a bend in the road is reached, the wedges I4 are used as shown in Fig. 7 and are inserted far enough to produce the exact degree of banking required. It will thus be seen from the foregoing that no new rail need be manufactured since my device is applicable to conventional rails and that my device can be used equally well irrespective of whether the track has only two rails as in the case of the spring actuated trains, or whether it has a center, third rail as in the case of electrically operated trains.

It is also to be understood that the tie I in the straight form shown in Fig. 1 can be used under straight rail or track sections as well as under track sections that are curved thus obviating the necessity of manufacturing special ties for that purpose.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A support for a toy electric train track comprising an elongated flexible resilient body member simulating the appearance of a conventional railroad tie and the upper surface of which constitutes a support for all of the rails of said track, and raised portions at the ends of said body member, the inner edges of said raised portions forming abutments for the webs of the outer rails of said track, there being horizontal recesses formed in said raisedportions at their junctions with said body member for engaging the outer flanges of the outer rails of said track.

2. A support for a toy electric train track comprising an elongated flexible resilient body member simulating the appearance of a conventional railroad tie and the upper surface of which constitutes a support for all of the rails of said track, and raised portions at the ends of said body member, the inner edges of said raised portions forming abutments for the webs of the outer rails of said track, there being horizontal recesses formed in said raised portions at their junctions with said body member for engaging the outer flanges of the outer rails of said track in combination with a wedged-shaped member adapted to be inserted under an end of said body member for adjustably elevating the same, said wedged-shaped member having vertical side walls for engaging the vertical sides of said body member.

3. A support for a toy electric train track comprising an elongated flexible resilient body member simulating the appearance of a conventional railroad tie and the upper surface'of which constitutes a support for all of the rails of said track, and raised portions.v at the ends of said body member, the inner edges of said raised portions forming abutments for the webs of the outer rails of said track, there being horizontal recesses formed in said raised portions at their junctions with said body member for engaging the outer flanges of the outer rails of said track in combination with a wedged-shaped member adapted to be inserted under an end of said body member for ajustably elevating the same, said wedgedshaped member having vertical side walls for engaging the vertical sides of said body member, the undersurfaces of said body member and said wedged-shaped member being serrated.

WATKIN F. JONES. 

